1973 Johnson 115 question

searay24

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
16
Hi, So I was going along at idle speed in a no wake and the motor all of a sudden bogged down. I thought I had some seaweed on the prop. I shut it down and tilted the motor up to find nothing. I started it again and it still sounded as it did before. I ran it for a little while 1-2 min. and then it jerked my head back a little and started running fine. It was almost like it wasn't running on all four cylinders and then it kicked back on REALLY fast and it was fine for the rest of the day. It did this one time yesterday also when I first got it going...it sounds as if the motor is barely running and then it gets running fully and gives me a burst of power really fast and then runs fine for the rest of my time on the water. Any ideas are appreciated.
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

Float valve needle may be sticking in one of your carburetors. Did you remember to put the float valve clips on when you cleaned the carburetors.
 

searay24

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
16
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

I installed everything as it was before. There were no clips though.
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

You need the rebuild kits; they all have the clips that connect the newer style float valve needle to the arm of the float, forcing the float valve needle to drop when the float drops as the fuel in the bowl is used.

Without them, the needle can stick, allowing all of the fuel in the float bowl to be consumed.

http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...gd_poid=109334&gd_row=90&**********=993790148
 

searay24

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
16
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

I bought the same exact kits but the clips were not used before so I didn't use them and have since discarded them. The needles that I installed, are they different than the original ones? I thought it was kind of odd there was nothing connecting the needle to the float but A guy at the local parts store also said that is the way the are for that year so I just assumed put it back as it was before.
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

The improved needles have a groove at the end to attach the float valve clip. The early needles lacked the groove.

Purloined Photo Compliments of Iboats:
 

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searay24

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
16
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

Someone must have installed a re-build kit on these before because the ones I took out do have the groove in them but they also did not put the clips in. Probably thinking what I was. Well....looks like a have yet another project. Thank you for your help. Hopefully that will solve this problem.
 

searay24

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
16
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

I talked to my local marine shop to see if he has any kits out there which he does but when explaining the problem to him he was leaning more towards an ignition problem.....power pack, coils etc. Any thoughts on that?
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

:cool:Knock yourself out. I'm not selling parts.
 

tschamp20

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
317
Re: 1973 Johnson 115 question

i wiould ask your mechanic to order the retaining spring clips(2).get a spark tester from auto parts store,the kind that unscrews to adjust gap NOT light style.check your spark. or you can do the remove one plug at a time method.if theres no change in rpm when you pull the plug wire that coil is not firing.
 
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